1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to grinding and polishing apparatus, and, more particularly, to grinding and polishing apparatus for electronic elements, such as integrated circuits.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior art grinding and polishing apparatus, such as typically used for lapping integrated circuit elements, generally includes a block to which an integrated circuit is secured. The block, with the integrated circuit secured to it, is then placed on a lapping wheel. As the wheel rotates, the integrated circuit is ground and polished, or lapped. Obviously, the lapping wheel includes an abrasive surface which provides the grinding and polishing (lapping) action. An appropriate lubricant, such as water, is typically sprayed or dropped onto the lapping wheel.
The lapping block, with the IC (integrated circuit) secured thereto, is held in place on the wheel by some type of restraint, such as a cross bar or the like. In actuality, several generally parallel and/or perpendicular bars may be disposed across a lapping wheel and a plurality of lapping blocks may be supported by the bars.
Prior art lapping blocks generally are not adjustable with respect to the lapping wheel. Accordingly, the surface to be lapped on the IC is dependent on the orientation of the IC on the lapping block. And, once the IC is secured to the block, the lapping surface is determined and cannot be changed without removing and reattaching the IC to the block.
After lapping, the ICs are generally examined under a microscope of some type, often an optical microscope. Due to the focal length of such instruments, the subject must be relatively close to the microscope. Typically, an IC must be removed from a lapping block in order to be completely and thoroughly examined in two axes under a microscope due to the inability of getting the IC close enough to the microscope while the IC is mounted on the block.
The apparatus of the present invention overcomes the problems of the prior art by providing a lapping block having a holding or mounting element for holding an integrated circuit to a block and by having leveling elements in the block to adjust the orientation of the block, and accordingly the orientation of the IC, with respect to the lapping wheel. The apparatus of the present invention also provides for the easy removal and replacement of the IC for examination by both optical and SEM apparatus and without demounting the IC.